Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Gift of Innate Secret Techniques

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Innate Manual Gifted

The wound on Wu Hong’s shoulder gaped open, hideous and raw, and scalding blood splattered onto the black-clad assailant’s face. Such injuries were not uncommon in such fierce battles. The other attackers, seeing one of their own strike Wu Hong’s shoulder, were delighted and pressed forward, slashing at him with their long blades.

Suddenly, the black-clad man who had cut Wu Hong let out a piercing scream, clutching his face and rolling on the ground, completely disregarding the blade still embedded deep in Wu Hong’s shoulder. “Ah! What kind of blood is this? Help me! Someone help me!” His agonized howls echoed.

The bizarre reaction of the black-clad man stunned his companions, their movements freezing momentarily. That pause gave Wu Hong the opportunity he needed. Channeling all his energy into his left palm, his hand swelled to monstrous size, and with a thunderous crash, he struck the remaining three black-clad men.

With a deafening roar, the three figures were blasted away like cannonballs, hurled a hundred paces by Wu Hong’s Great Sun Vajra Palm. The surging force sent sand and stones flying, and the three attackers lay far off, their fates uncertain.

It had been a battle on the edge of life and death. Under ordinary circumstances, Wu Hong’s chances of survival would have been slim to none. Yet, by some twist of fate, his blood had splashed onto his opponent’s face, provoking an inexplicable reaction. Wu Hong was unaware that ever since he had reached the Blood Refinement level of the Great Sun Tathagata, his blood had become unlike that of ordinary men—scalding as boiling water. When it struck an unprotected foe’s face, the consequences were dire.

Everyone present was utterly shocked.

With a metallic clang, Wu Hong yanked the blade from his shoulder, the sound like steel striking steel. It made everyone grit their teeth in discomfort, a testament to the terrifying strength of Wu Hong’s flesh and blood. Now, none doubted that if an ordinary person tried to stab him, Wu Hong wouldn’t even need to move; their weapons could not harm him in the slightest.

“Give me your life!” Wu Songran, recovering from her shock before the others, moved first. She glared at Wu Hong, her slender sword suddenly darting for his throat.

Wu Hong flew into a rage. He reached out, seized the blade, and without flinching at its sharpness, snapped it in half as if it were a twig. “You bastard!” Wu Songran, frustrated by her failed attack, lost her composure and slapped Wu Hong across the face.

With lightning speed, Wu Hong jabbed several points on her body, striking her acupoints. Wu Songran instantly felt numb all over, memories of that night in the desert flashing before her eyes, her heart gripped by terror.

“What are you doing?” Wu Hong advanced on her step by step, his face stern. Wu Songran’s face was pale with fright, her eyes wide in alarm.

Ignoring her terror, Wu Hong scooped her up in his arms. Wu Songran shrieked, “Let me go, you beast!”

Smack! Smack! Wu Hong, his hand now returned to normal size, began spanking her repeatedly, scolding in the manner of an elder brother disciplining a wayward sister. “How dare you disobey me? No matter what, I’m still your elder brother! How can you draw your sword against me so easily?”

The onlookers watched in stunned silence, completely forgetting to plead for mercy.

“Put me down! Put me down, you brute! I don’t want a beast like you for a brother!”

Wu Songran, born to privilege and pampered since childhood, had never endured such humiliation. Now, in front of everyone, she was publicly spanked by her greatest enemy.

With a thud, Wu Hong tossed her to the ground after a few more smacks. Her acupoints had been struck, and she tumbled in a dizzy heap.

Wu Hong strode over to the black-clad man still writhing in agony, and with a swift motion, severed his head. Blood spattered as the head hit the ground.

“Hmph. May you quickly find rebirth,” Wu Hong said coldly, sending chills down the spines of Wang Liang and the others.

Wang Liang’s greatest hope had been the four black-clad experts at the Marrow Refining level, but now their fates were unknown, and his own life seemed to hang by a thread in Wu Hong’s hands.

Xiao Fei and the young man in golden armor looked equally grim. Though their skills were formidable among their peers, they now saw that compared to Wu Hong, they were nothing. As Wu Hong dispatched his formidable foes, anxiety gnawed at their hearts.

“Master Xuanbei, please, rid the martial world of this demon!” Wang Liang’s voice trembled, almost breaking into sobs. He’d never imagined things would reach this point, and inwardly cursed Wu Songran a hundred and eighty times over.

“Alas, alas! Benefactor Wu, now that you are out of danger, it is best to show mercy where possible,” Master Xuanbei urged.

“Master, you misunderstand! They may hate me, but for reasons of their own. I would never kill indiscriminately. As for those black-clad men, they put their blades to my throat—what choice did I have?” Wu Hong replied hastily and respectfully.

Xuanbei nodded approvingly. “Benefactor Wu, your talent is remarkable and your heart righteous. I am now convinced the rumors about you are untrue. Alas, such slander!”

Wu Hong was about to reply modestly when the abbot continued, “Benefactor Wu, your countenance is extraordinary. Though your six senses are not yet pure, you are fated to join the Buddhist path. Have you considered joining our order?”

Wu Hong thought to himself that this old monk, for all his kindness, was relentless in urging him to become a monk. It was rather exasperating.

“Master, say no more. My senses are far from pure, and I have no desire to become a monk. Please, let us not speak of this again.”

He spoke with unyielding finality.

“What a pity! What a pity! Such a gifted youth, slipping through our fingers—what a loss!” Master Xuanbei sighed repeatedly, palms pressed together.

“Master, since Young Master Wu is unwilling to join the Buddhist order, why force him? Such compulsion goes against the Buddhist principle of going with the flow,” Fatty Li Yunda interjected, coming to Wu Hong’s aid.

Xuanbei turned to Li Yunda, his eyes lighting up. “Sir Li, I perceive you are fated with the Buddha. Why not join our order?”

Li Yunda had only intended to divert the abbot’s attention from Wu Hong, but now the old monk was turning his sights on him. Two black lines seemed to form on Li Yunda’s forehead as he fumed inwardly, unable to protest openly given the abbot’s status.

Seeing Li Yunda’s silence as a sign of interest, Xuanbei began to expound on Buddhist doctrine, leaving Li Yunda’s face alternately red and dark with embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Wang Liang and his companions watched Wu Hong anxiously, but Wu Hong paid them no heed whatsoever.

Wang Liang fumed inwardly. Wu Hong, once a good-for-nothing, now wouldn’t even spare him a glance. How dare he look down on me so completely! Hmph—Wu Hong, just wait. If you don’t kill me today, I’ll make sure you die a thousand deaths in the future.

In truth, Wu Hong didn’t spare them a thought.

“Sir Li, come here for a moment,” Wu Hong called out, beckoning to the fat man.

Eager to escape Xuanbei’s preaching, Li Yunda waddled over, his corpulent body quivering with every step.

Wu Hong pulled out the Xuantian Mirror from his robe and handed it to Li Yunda. At first, Li Yunda thought it was just a book, but upon opening it, his expression changed instantly.

“This—” He could only utter a single word before Wu Hong’s stern gaze made him stop short.

But inside, Li Yunda was in utter turmoil, as if the heavens and earth had collapsed. The shock was beyond words.

“An Innate Manual…” If there weren’t so many people around, Li Yunda would have shouted in disbelief. This was an Innate Manual! Wu Hong had just given it to him, without a second thought! Such things were the stuff of legend!

Each time an Innate Manual appeared in the martial world, it brought storms of bloodshed. How could he remain calm? His broad face turned several shades in succession. Wu Hong, amused, asked, “Sir Li, are you feeling unwell?”

Only Wu Hong could make such a dry joke at a time like this.

An Innate Manual was a priceless treasure in the martial world. Who wouldn’t hoard it? It was the key to longevity, to supremacy. The entire reason martial artists braved the dangers of the Heavenly Book Grotto was for such a manual.

Li Yunda took several deep breaths to calm himself, then, hands trembling, tucked the Xuantian Mirror into his robe.

Just then, a swirl of purple smoke formed a giant hand, striking at Wu Hong and Wang Liang’s group.

“Careful! An enemy!” Xuanbei cried, shoving Wu Hong aside and striking at the purple hand.

But the hand, made of purple mist, dissipated at a touch.

A sinister laugh rang out. “Such a pretty young girl—she’s mine now!” As the smoke cleared, an old man with ashen hair and a purple cloak appeared beside Wu Songran. He grabbed her and vaulted onto the back of a giant eagle.

“Stop! Demon of Yin Mountain, release her at once! Such sin!” Xuanbei shouted from below. But with a chilling laugh, the eagle soared upward, Wu Songran’s screams fading as they vanished into the clouds.